The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-03-21
MRS. BEEcHER,s LETTERS.
How She Spared Her Husband Pain by Keep
ing Tales of Woe from Him.

How She Spared Her Husband Pain by Keep
ing Tales of Woe from Him.
Detroit Special in Philadelphia Press
S. q. Adams. of this city, is in possession OF
letters written by Mrs. Henry Ward Beecher III
1881 and 1882 in which she speaks of the trying
times growing out of the Beecher Tilton scandal,
their own poverty and Mr. Beecher's arduous du-
ties. These letters prove her sublime self-aone
CATION Mr.. Adams gives abstracts of these let
tiers to the press
Under date Of Feb. 8, 1881, Mrs. Beecker wrote
You should see the immense pile of unopened
letters before me- the punishment for two
days absence from the city. Nearly nine-tenths
are addressed to Mr. Beecher, but he never
reads letters unless there is some matter that he
alone can decide which is not often the case
Thousands come to US that he never sees. con-
sequently they do not trouble his brain or, what
would be more serious, grieve his tender heart
All correspondence is left to me, one OF the
cheerfully accepted but onerous duties resulting
from being the wife of such man.
On june Z, 1882, she writes: 1.-THE pitiless
black-mail persecution to which my husband was
subjected few years ago turned our heads
white before our time and nearly broke my
heart at last. That trial cost us $780, 600. We
were not worth $50 000 The impression seems
to be general that he is wealthy man.. He
never was. but when comfortably well of his
OVERLOOKING generosity enabled him to lay by
nothing of any account. Sometimes now if
did not discreety purloin the contents OF his too
liberal pockets the household expenses would re-
main unpaid He cannot help returning money
less because of the tales of woe that seem to lie
In wait for him upon every street. Since that
terrible trial he has worked necessarily. to the
detriment of his health, preaching. lecturng
writing. hoping to lift the heavy mortgage from
our homo here columbia Heights. Brooklyn),
but it had to be sold in the spring"
On Nov. Z. 1882. Mrs. Beecher alludes to the
1.-TWO three bushels of letters that have ac-
cumulated during Mr. Beecher's vacation, to say
nothing Of all that followed into the country"
She speaks of the inn umerable petitions for help,
and exclaims: 'Oh that the whole world could
know that we are poor. poor, poor in everything
but the ability to grieve for woes we have not
tho power to aid. From the letters have classed
| as genuine l find that the sums so pitifully
| pleaded for aggregate over $50 000."
Referring to this subject in another letter, she
| says: What can do but half break my heart
| over sorrows that my dear husband could not
| alleviate were they known to him. 1t would
| make him i'll to read the letters This suffering
I can spare him."
In her selfabnegation she makes no moan ''be
| cause this suffering is vicariously visited upon
| her." In letter written in December 1882 she
| speaks once more of that Infamous black mai
| scheme" and adds: II am confident that history
will refer to it as the most cruel and conscience
| less of this or any other century"